Bottom door catch



Jan. 15, 1935. A, F PAUL 1,988,137

BOTTOM DOOR CATCH Filed March 17, 1934 NVENTOR. Abram Paul A TTORNEYS.

Patented Jan. 15, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BOTTOM DOOR CATCHApplication March 17, 1934, Serial No. 716,059

Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in bottom door catches of a typeto prevent rattling of the doors when closed.

The major object of this invention is to provide a novel and improvedform of structure by means of which folding or sliding doors on vehiclesmay be firmly held while closed to prevent vibration thereof, and toprevent the production of the noises incident to such vibration when thevehicle is in motion.

The many objects of this invention which are successfully secured by thestructure disclosed will be apparent from the following description.

This invention resides substantially in the combination, construction,arrangement and relative location of parts, all as will be set forth infull detail hereinafter.

In the drawing,

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the structure showing the relativearrangement of the parts and their association with the doors;

Fig. 2 is a front elevational view thereof;

Fig. 3 is an end elevational view thereof.

A portion of the bottom forward ends of the doors is shown at 1 and 2.The platform or floor at the opening controlled by the doors isindicated at 3 in Fig. 3. Secured to the under face of the platform 3 isa plate 4 having a depending flange 5 to which a compound leaf spring 6is attached by means of rivets 7. The form of the leaf spring is clearlyshown in Fig. 1. It consists of a straight central portion having curvedends positioned for cooperation with the other parts.

Secured to the doors at the bottom and near the forward edges thereofare the pairs of plates 8 and 9 which are attached by screws 10 passingthrough the doors. The plates 9 are provided with threaded bosses 14which receive the threaded ends 13 of the arms 11. The nuts 14 areprovided to lock these arms in adjusted position. The arms 11 areprovided with upwardly projecting extensions 15 positioned to contactthe outer curved ends of the compound spring. The arms 11 are so placedthat as the doors move to closed position the portions 15 of the arms 11engage the outer curved ends of the springs. The result is that the doorsections are firmly held against rattling and vibration when they are inclosed position, and yet do not interfere with the normal operations ofopening and closing them.

From the above description it will be apparent that this inventionresides in certain principles and features of construction which may beembodied in other physical forms by those skilled in the art withoutdeparture from the spirit and scope of this invention. 5

I do not, therefore, desire to be strictly limited to the disclosure asgiven for purposes of illustration, but rather to the scope of theappended claims.

What I seek to secure by United States Letters 10 Patent is: I

1. The combination with a pair of door sections, of a flat spring havingcurved ends rigidl supported adjacent the ends of the door sections whenthe doors are closed, and a pair of arms mounted on the door sectionsand positioned to engage the curved ends of the springs when the doorsclose to hold the doors against movement.

2. The combination as described comprising a pair of door sections, asupporting plate mounted adjacent the edges of the door sections when inclosed position, a compound leaf spring secured to said plate, and apair of arms attached near the bottom of the forward edges of the doorsso as to engage the leaf spring as the doors close to place the springunder tension.

3. A combination as described comprising a pair of doors, a leaf springsupported near the bottom of the doors whenin closed position, saidspring having curved ends, sets of plates secured to the doors, andcurved arms mounted on said plates having portions for engaging thecurved ends of the springs when the doors are in closed position.

4. A combination with a pair of door sections, of a compound leaf springsupported below the door sections near the forward edges thereof, saidleaf spring having ends curved towards the plane of the doors, and apair of curved arms mounted near the bottom edges of the doors andpositioned to engage the curved ends of the spring.

5. A combination with a pair of door sections, of a compound leaf springsupported below the door sections near the forward edges thereof, saidleaf spring having ends curved towards the plane of the doors, a pair ofplates on opposite sides of each door section, and an arm mounted onsaid plates, each arm having a portion engageable with the curved endsof the springs. 50

ABRAM F. PAUL,

